This is a special find for me. Not only is it a minor clipped planchet, it's also my birth year. Other than the clip, there's something else going on in the throat & cheek area. There's a swatch across the throat (from bottom of beard to collar), that almost looks like a lamination that detached years ago. I don't think that's what it is, but it could be. Each side of this area has a crack. They don't look like die crack, but cracks in the planchet itself. There is also another crack across the cheek that runs all the way, along the bottom of the nose, to the tip. Thanks & comments welcome!
I'm sure that's not a clip. It looks like someone took nippers to it. Notice the line along the center of the 'clip'.
The line on the center confirms it. See diagnostic 3 here: http://error-ref.com/_Curved_clips_.html Blakesley effect is there too.
Where do you see the Blakesley Effect? It should show at 2 o'clock on the obverse or 4 o'clock on the reverse. I don't see it in any of those locations. Chris
Beside the right, bottom corner of memorial on reverse. There are a couple of dings on the obverse @ 2 o'clock that mask it in the image.
From error-ref.com: 1. The pole opposite the clip often shows a weak or absent rim. This is the "Blakesley" effect. Special Note: The "Blakesley" effect is not always seen on coins with authentic curved clips which are LARGE. 2. Design elements bordering the clip often show metal flow -- a smearing and stretching out of the design. 3. The exposed edge of the clip will usually show a "belly line" or "breakaway zone". Half of the exposed edge (upper or lower half) will be grainy and the other half smooth. 4. The rim should fade out and taper toward the clip. All 4 of these are present so I don't think it's PMD.
I can see, there is no way I will be able to convince you, but that's cool. I'm not worried about the clip. I have no doubt about the legitimacy of the clip. I would like to pick your brain about the throat & cheek area. Do you think it's directly related to the planchet, or could this be similar to pre chip depressions. If the latter is possible, there should be some nice interior die breaks or die subsidence errors out there somewhere.
Clip is legit. The rim elements dovetail in at the clip and the rim does looks weakly affected on the opposite side. Sometimes, really small clips don't leave all that much for Blakesley Effects. The narrow gap allows forces to be dissipated enough across the coin during rimming not to form one.
I believe that this is an authentic clip but its so minor that I would not expect to see any Blakeslee effect at all. Bo comment on any possible lamination since the surface simply looks damaged to me.
A quick question on clips. In trying to determine if a clip is real, would it be reasonable to assume that the clipped area should match up with the arc of another coin of the same denomination?
I think you're right. The more I have looked at it and conversations with some others, I think it was scraped a long time ago & kinda smoothed over a bit.
no. There are also straight clips. They occur when a planchet is punched out too close to the edge of the strip of coin stock. Here is a good article on straight clips: http://www.coinworld.com/voices/straight-clips-worthy-of-closer-study-by-coll.html
No since the clip occurs "before" the strike and the strike can and often does "distort" the clipped area.
